UCA Installation

[66 Sat]

I was wondering how much vertical movement the uca has once torqued up? I've just installed new stock arms and torqued up to 65lbs/ft. The bushing is clamped firmly and the only way the arm can move up and down seems to be from the twisting of the rubber bush itself. Is this how they are meant to function? I thought the bush would handle the torsional forces only and be free to move up and down, with those vertical forces taken by the torsion bar?

 

[1967coronet440]

I believe Your upper control arms should move freely with no binding, is everything connected like upper ball joints etc, or is it hanging there

 

[moparnation74]

With new bushings and all torqued up they do not flop around freely but you should be able to move up and down with some pressure...

 

[Mike67]

Maybe some of the more experienced guys can chime in...should the control arm be torqued at its normal weighted position?
The reason I ask is because my FILs 55 has tubular arms which ate up the bushings, almost twisted in half. The only thing I could think of was they were installed & torqued in the down position and when loaded put them in a twist. So when the arms actuated even further up it actually ripped them because of the increase ( torsional load) in the same direction which was more than they could handle...???
Does that make sense??? I would think that they are designed to deflect ( twist) equally up & down. So if your neutral center was set with the CA hanging it would cause issues....

 

[65wgn440]

Yes, the adjuster bolts must be torqued with full vehicle weight on the suspension.

 

[moparnation74]

Maybe some of the more experienced guys can chime in...should the control arm be torqued at its normal weighted position?
The reason I ask is because my FILs 55 has tubular arms which ate up the bushings, almost twisted in half. The only thing I could think of was they were installed & torqued in the down position and when loaded put them in a twist. So when the arms actuated even further up it actually ripped them because of the increase ( torsional load) in the same direction which was more than they could handle...???
Does that make sense??? I would think that they are designed to deflect ( twist) equally up & down. So if your neutral center was set with the CA hanging it would cause issues....

I have never torqued down a UCA without the cars full vehicle weight....It would be challenging to make slight adjustments when they are fully torqued anyhow.....

 

[Daves69]

Do you have the "end caps" on both sides of the bushings? I notice some are sold without these days.

 

[Cranky]

I always tighten suspension parts with everything at ride height. A slight variance isn't going to kill em but if you tighten them when they are hanging all the way down (body in full up position), they won't last all that long. Also, when UCA's are tight, you will be able to move them but there will be resistance.

 

[gkent]

Those bolts will (or should be) loosened when they do the alignment. If I were you I'd mount them "snug" so there's free movement and after the alignment check the torque yourself. I spend a lot of time in repair shops and seldom see a torque wrench in use !!

 

[66 Sat]

It sounds like they are fine, I only torqued them up to see how they functioned, I was going to back them off again until everything else was installed and the car back on its wheels.They are like the standard strut rods then, where the flexing of the bush provides the travel. Thanks for all the advice.